SEAL of My Dreams. Love at first Tweet.

On Friday, 05/06/2011, she tweeted: We could all get together & write antho inspired by ystdy’s SEAL. Donate proceeds to military charity, something like that.

Six months later: With the help of many, including publisher Bell Bridge Books and cover designer Frauke Spanuth of Croco Designs, Christie Ridgway and her sidekick Alison Kent brought nineteen authors together to create SEAL of My Dreams.

SEAL of My Dreams is available to purchase digitally at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc., as well as in print at all retailers.

A teaser about the SEAL stories!

All the stories honor the courage and sacrifice of the SEALs and those who love them. Some feature characters from ongoing series, others introduce new series, and all include the hallmark of romance––that great feeling of falling in love!

A brief interview with Christie Ridgeway:

Jillian: Welcome Christie, we are so excited to help promote SEAL of My Dreams. All the proceeds are pledged to Veterans Research Corporation. Can you tell readers something about them?

Christie:I live in a Navy town and this non profit organization was founded here for the specific purpose of raising funds to support medical research for veterans of all wars from all branches of service. They recognize the great need for veteran-based medical research due to emerging health challenges like PTSD and traumatic brain injury among others. They are highly committed to helping our service people and are excited about our project. (We've made new fans of romance!)

Jillian: Had you ever written a SEAL hero before? The cover shot is certainly a whole lot inspiration!

Christie:I've not written a SEAL hero before (though I once went to a real SEAL wedding!). I have written a secondary hero who is a former soldier in Can't Hurry Love. In the current book I'm writing, the hero is a combat medic with the Army. So my guy for the anthology, Josh Frye, is my first Navy man.

Jillian:Tell us something about what it was like to wrangle all these writers together, find the right charity, publisher, photography rights, etc. (You did a brilliant job by the way.)

Christie: I couldn't have done it without the wonderful Alison Kent. We drew up a list of potential authors and getting participants was the easiest part! I was very committed to using the actual photograph (in case you don't know, he is an actual SEAL, the photo from 2007). That took some digging (again, thank you Alison), but it turned out to be do-able and Getty Images even cut us a small break on the price since it was for such a good cause. I looked into a lot of charities and so many are doing excellent work. I had a personal connection through a friend with the Veterans Medical Research Corporation and it made me very comfortable to donate to them. Their work helps all our military men and women, which was another bonus in my mind. It was author Cindy Gerard who told publisher Bell Bridge Books about our project and they stepped up and volunteered to do all the heavy lifting. We just had to write the stories...which naturally is the part we authors like best.

Jillian:Patriotically speaking, that trailer is so...hot. What can you tell us about it?

Christie: Isn't it wonderful and romantic? That was put together by Deborah Smith, one of the head honchos at Belle Bridge Books (and an awesome author too). The first time I watched...well, the dozenth time I watched it, I choked up.

Jillian:SEAL of My Dreams has to be an exciting release for you. How/what are you feeling?

Christie: I'm thrilled to be attached to such a worthy project and so gratified by the enthusiasm of everyone...from those of us who put it together, to the bloggers such as yourself helping us promote it, and to the readers who tell us they can't wait to own their copy. It was a daunting task at first, but with all the help we've had, it's become such a pleasure.

Christie's question for readers:

It's time to use your imaginations and answer the burning question that's occurred to us all! Check out our SEAL on the cover. How do you think he got that scar on his back?

On behalf of all the authors of SEAL of My Dreams, Get Lost in a Story will be giving away either a digital or print copy of SEAL of My Dreams to one lucky commenter!

***Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America addresses only. If an Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) is available, the author may utilize that option for International participants. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants.

A multi-published, national award-winning author who is taking a three year hiatus from historical romance thrillers. Jillian has recently published a zombie mash-up EAT, SLAY, LUZT and is currently writing a werewolf novella—WOLF, INTERRUPTED. Visit her website: jillianstone.com

Hi. I dont live in the US but I just wanted to say when you asked the questions it was like a quick movie flashed thru my mind of all the scenario's that Suzanne Brockmann's Seals got themselves caught up in :) mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmnnnnnnnnnnn :)))

I have goosebumps! Thank you Jillian for bringing Christie's inspiration for this fantastic project! Off to get my copy and tell others to buy, buy, buy. And to our veterans, whether they have fantastic body like the one depicted, thank you for your service!

Thanks for the link, Donnell! I love stories with military heroes! (am working on one now - well, should be working on one now but I'm on the Internet instead...) Anyhow, just pre-ordered my copy from Amazon. Can't wait to read it!

I can see how that photo inspired y'all. How fabulous to honor and benefit those who serve. Thank you!

As for the scar on his back, it's from a knife wound suffered in hand-to-hand combat with an Al-Qaeda operative in Iraq on a mission to rescue a downed pilot being held for ransom. The SEALS got the pilot out safe and sound, of course.

And they say women aren't into visuals like men! Thanks for all your enthusiasm, everyone. It is such a great cause and the stories are wonderful, I promise.

Oh, man, I'm just remembering something! (An exclusive for you here!). I just this second recalled something my subconscious must have written into my story...a possibility on how my SEAL, Josh Frye, got a scar on his back!

I also send kudos to Christie and Allison for getting us all together to write this wonderful collection of stories. A lot of people TALK about doing something to make a difference but these two actually made it happen. I couldn't be prouder that I was invited to be a part of this landmark endeavor.

I want this book. I love short stories in books like this. I love that all the proceeds are going to soldiers research. I think that he got this scar during training and maybe during combat. Maybe could have been a childhood accident. I love the tatoo on this back, very sexy. Thanks for writing this book, all the authors, thanks.Thanks for the giveaway and the chance to win.christinebails@yahoo.com

I can't wait to get my hands on this book! My hubby is a Retired Marine, so anything that has to do with sexy Military men gets my attention, lol! As for the scar on the SEAL's back, he got it in a knife fight defending his woman. ;)

Looks like so many of us are sure he got that scar being a hero! (Of course.) I want to add about the anthology, since I now have my own complete edition, is that it's =big=. Eighteen stories and the wonderful foreword by Robyn Carr. Lots of entertainment value benefiting a noble cause. The short stories make it a natural to read while waiting in line, the doctor's office, waiting for the kids to exit the school building...

I cannot wait to read this book! I have been looking forward to it for weeks! I love how the proceeds are going to a great cause!

As for the scar, I never even noticed it and this picture was everywhere after the SEALS completed their heroic mission. I hope it from nothing serious, like a bomb. I would like to think, it is a love mark!

I love how SEALS of My Dreams came to be and that it's for such a worthy cause. I like the idea of him getting the scar from protecting someone. In doing so he had to shield them with his body. Very heroic!

Thanks to everyone for commenting and all the enthusiasm for the anthology! Tomorrow is the exciting release day! We hope we can do great things with our project to benefit medical research for our service men and women!